My Story

Chuchuca, where your child lives, is an area located high on the side of a mountain in the state of Quiché, Guatemala. Life in this area is very difficult and very isolated from the outside world. It is more than a two-hour walk to the nearest market town of Zacualpa. Chuchuca is a farming area where corn and black beans, the staple elements in their diet, are the major crops. The Quiché Indians who inhabit this area trace their ancestral roots to the ancient Mayan civilization. They normally speak an Indian dialect called Quiché - however, Spanish is becoming more common. Very little money ever changes hands in this area as they live on a barter system.

Hello! My name is Ingrid Yesica Luis Gutierrez. My birthdate is October 30, 2017, which makes me 7 years of age now. I am in kindergarten. I love rabbits and my favorite color is pink. The meal I enjoy the most is noodles and rice. I enjoy playing with my stuffed toys. I live happily with my parents; I have 1 brother and four sisters. My family and I are in good health, by the grace of God. My father´s name is Camilo Luis de la Cruz. Lately, he is not working because he is sick with gastritis and it is limiting his activities. He went at the hospital a couple of months ago because he had a lot of pain and for now, he is taking natural medicines but it does not seem to help too much. My mother´s name is Santos Gutierrez Garcia. She is a housewife and also raises hens and goats. My family and I travel to the coast to pick coffee beans from November to April to get some extra income.

We attend the Prince of Peace Church. Fortunately, my parents own the house in which we live. We have only one room and a small corner where my mother cooks. The house is made of wooden boards, tin roof and a dirt floor. We do not have running water or electricity. Fortunately, there is a natural spring in my grandmother´s house, and she allows us to get water for our use. And, for the light, we use candles at night. The walls of the house are damaged and we want to change them and we pray to God to provides for resources to do it soon. I like to attend the feeding program even though, I have to walk for one hour to get there. Thank you so much for reading my information. Many and abundant blessings over you!

Bunch of hugs,

Ingrid Yesica Luis Gutierrez

Translated by: Violeta Hernandez / A-A-C Secretary-Antigua Guatemala